Pre-Departure Orientations & Consultations

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Know Before You Go

Our online and in-person orientations and consultations help prepare students, faculty, and staff for a safe trip, and also provide resources for your security and well-being while abroad.

Harvard GSS Online Orientation

The Harvard GSS online pre-departure orientation helps you think through key considerations, requirements, and resources before, during, and after your trip. Although it’s intended for students, the orientation is available to all Harvard affiliates.

This orientation is required for all Harvard College students traveling abroad with Harvard sponsorship and for all Harvard Summer School study abroad program students. Certain graduate Schools also require their students to watch the orientation.

Viewing Tips

Plan 45-60 minutes to watch in one sitting or across multiple sessions.

Log in to the International SOS Training Hub to view any of these topics. The first time you login, you'll need to create an account with your Harvard email address.

Group Orientations

Your program may require you to attend an in-person orientation specific to your destination, particularly for elevated-risk or high-risk locations. Consult with your program or funding source to ensure you fulfill the requirements applicable to your travel.

Our International Safety & Security team can also design and deliver a pre-departure orientation specific to the needs of your program or activity. Contact us at +1-617-495-1111 or globalsupport@harvard.edu.

For undergraduate students, the Office of International Education (OIE) maintains a calendar of in-person, regional, or program-specific orientations, information sessions, and panels. Graduate students, check with your department or program lead.

Individual Consultations

Prior to travel, our International Safety & Security team can provide an in-person or phone consultation to help you prepare for your Harvard-related trip and feel more confident about your international travel and activities.

Consultations are required for some undergraduate students traveling to elevated-risk destinations and graduate students traveling to high-risk destinations, but all Harvard affiliates are welcome to schedule a consultation ahead of Harvard-related travel. Contact us at +1-617-495-1111 or globalsupport@harvard.edu.

The consultation is an opportunity to review your travel plans—including your communication, transportation, and lodging plans—as well as your research topic or activity as it relates to the culture that you'll be navigating within. We'll discuss your goals and concerns, address potential risks and means to mitigate them, and provide recommendations for additional resources.

Verifying Students' Pre-Departure Requirements

OIE manages a database that tracks and reports on the status of undergraduate students’ travel requirements (i.e. orientations, health clearance, and travel registration). Program and department administrators seeking to review the status of these requirements for their travelers can contact Camila Nardozzi or Nicole Garcia in OIE to request a report.

Our office can provide updates, by request, on the status of the graduate student requirements that we oversee (online orientation, travel safety questionnaire, and travel registration).